Historic collection inspires a new generation of writers
Mon, October 02, 2017
Writers’ Groups from Flowerfield and Ballymoney have used Sam Henry’s archive to inspire a new collection of poetry and prose.
His fascinating material, including objects, documents, books, diaries, letters and photographs, was gathered during his work as a Pensions and Excise Officer which took him all over Northern Ireland during the early part of the 20th century.
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s Museums Service has worked with the Writers’ Groups on the new project. Their poems and short items of prose were unveiled during a special event held in Flowerfield Arts Centre on Thursday (September 28th). The evening also featured a performance of some of Sam Henry’s songs by folk singer Len Graham
Sam Henry was born in 1878 in Coleraine. He was an avid folklorist, historian, photographer, ornithologist, naturalist, genealogist and musician. Through his work he formed relationships with an older generation and recorded aspects of their lives that are now all but forgotten. “In my contact with the old, who have all now passed away,” he wrote, “I had the rare privilege of sharing their folk lore and their old songs.” Sam is perhaps best known for his ‘Songs of the People’ series which ran in the Northern Constitution between 1923 and 1938. It published songs known, plaid and sung by people across Northern Ireland.
The new pieces of writing will feature in an exhibition in Coleraine Museum at Coleraine Town Hall in November. They will also be made available on the NI Archive website – www.niarchive.org/coleraine/
This project is part of a wider programme Sam Henry: Connecting with the Past, Collecting for the Future, funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Collections Fund and administrated by the Museums Association.
